The prior art has put forth several designs for trailer cameras. Among these are:
US Patent 2014/0151979 to Aaron Puckett and Robert Laney describes a, system for facilitating coupling between a trailer kingpin and a fifth wheel of a vehicle including at least one rear camera mounted on the vehicle. The rear camera is adapted to provide an image of the kingpin. A monitor in communication with the camera and is adapted to display the image of the kingpin.
US Patent 2014/0085472 to Yuesheng Lu, Steven V. Byrne, Paul A VanOphem and Paul D. Harris describes a vision system for a vehicle that includes a rearward facing camera disposed at a rearward portion of a vehicle. With a rear trailer attached to the vehicle, a processor is operable to process captured images and, responsive at least in part to the processing, to determine a plurality of trailer and vehicle trailer interface parameters. The system is operable to calculate a calculated trailer angle based at least in part on calculations involving the parameters and a steering angle of the vehicle. Responsive to processing of images captured by the camera, the system is operable to determine a determined trailer angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Responsive to the determined trailer angle and the calculated trailer angle, the system is operable to determine a degree of offset between the calculated trailer angle and the detected trailer angle.
US Patent 2014/0022389 to Scott Kageta describes an apparatus including a video control circuit that is configured to receive a first video signal from a first camera and a second video signal from a second camera. The video control circuit is configured to provide the first video signal or the second video signal in response to a control signal. The control signal is indicative of whether a trailer plug is connected to a vehicle plug. Another embodiment relates to a method of using a trailer camera with a vehicle including a reverse camera and a display. The method includes receiving at least one of a first video signals from the reverse camera already on the vehicle and a second video signal from the trailer camera. Yet another embodiment relates to a video circuit for a vehicle being capable of use with a trailer. The vehicle includes a backup camera and the trailer includes a trailer camera. The video circuit includes a first input for receiving a first video signal from the backup camera, a second input for receiving a second video signal from the trailer camera, and a control input for receiving a video signal enable signal on a video signal enable conductor. The video circuit further includes a control circuit for providing the second video signal to the display in response at least in part to the video signal enable signal.
US Patent 2013/0076007 to Joseph Goode and Kirk Andrew Parrish describes a vehicular backup camera for viewing a middle chassis, mounted trailer hitching structure. A pickup truck comprises a chassis, a rear axle attached to the chassis, a passenger cabin, a cargo bed, a trailer hitching structure and a first image capturing device. The passenger cabin is attached to the chassis forward of the rear axle. The cargo bed is attached to the chassis over the rear axle. The trailer hitching structure is attached to the chassis at a position rearward of the vehicle occupant structure and has a trailer engaging portion accessible within the cargo bed. The first image capturing device is attached to the passenger cabin. The first image capturing device is mounted in a manner allowing the first image capturing device to capture an image of the trailer engaging portion of the trailer hitching structure.
US Patent 2013/0038731 to Thomas A. Bray and Don Petersen describes a movable backup camera that is placed at the rear of a vehicle or at the rear of a towed trailer to capture images that are outside the driver's field of view. Captured images are modulated onto a radio frequency signal, which is broadcast and picked up by a mating radio frequency receiver, typically located inside the towing vehicle. Captured picture information on the radio frequency signal is recovered and used to generate an image on a display device that is seen by the driver. An attaching device is provided to the camera to allow the camera to be attached to the vehicle or a trailer and its location is changed as needed. The camera thus provides a method and apparatus for wirelessly conveying to the driver those images in an otherwise obstructed field of view.
None of these prior art references describe the present invention.